A Mastermind? No, I'm just the Live-In Son-in-Law-Chapter 47: Stand

“Am I supposed to know Lord Whitney’s every move?”

“...M-My apologies.”

It wasn’t just that she wielded the full power of the only ducal house in the Empire—she was also the chairwoman of the Academy’s Board of Directors, responsible for a large portion of its funding. It was only natural.

“Then why are you looking for him?”

Knowing this better than anyone, the department head lowered his head as Meredia continued to glare at him, then tilted hers curiously.

“W-Well... Lord Whitney left yesterday with the three students, saying he was going to convince them.”

“And?”

“Since then... there’s been no word from any of them...”

At his explanation, Meredia’s eyes narrowed.

“...I thought that matter was already settled.”

“Not just Lord Whitney—the three problematic students from yesterday are missing as well...”

“Tch. What the hell are they doing now...”

Though she muttered in annoyance, Meredia’s expression looked faintly uneasy for someone speaking in such a tone.

“...Don’t tell me the first-year homeroom teacher is missing too?”

“H-How did you know...?”

When she asked the question offhandedly, the department head’s startled reaction caused her to bite her lip knowingly.

“...Something’s gone wrong with the plan.”

“D-Do you perhaps know something...?”

As Meredia muttered to herself, the department head hesitantly probed her thoughts with a sliver of hope.

“...I’ll go look for him. You just handle your preparations.”

“T-Thank you!”

After those words finally left her lips, the department head was so moved he nearly shed tears as he bowed again.

“W-Well then, I’ll be going—”

“Ah, there you are, Director.”

“...Huh!”

But just then, a cheerful voice called out from behind, and he immediately brightened up and turned around with a smile.

“I’m a bit late, aren’t I?”

“N-Not at all! Just the fact that you returned is—guh!”

Grinning with his hands folded, he suddenly froze when he saw the students behind Whitney.

“I was up all night convincing them. That’s why I was late.”

“Ah...”

“Thankfully, all three agreed to participate in the Selection Tournament without issue.”

The department head stared at him blankly for a moment before hurrying over, a wide grin spreading across his face.

“As expected of you, Lord Whitney!!!”

“Haha...”

“Between this and the midterm incident—how can I ever thank you!”

But as Whitney shook hands with the overjoyed official, Meredia, watching quietly, seemed anything but amused.

“...I don’t ask for much. But could I request a small favor?”

“Haha, of course! Anything within my power, I’ll grant it.”

“Would it be possible to bring one of my maids into the exam hall?”

Unaware—or perhaps willfully ignoring her stare—Whitney continued with a bold request.

“You see, one of the participants in the tournament is her family member. But the spectator fees are too steep for commoners...”

“Ahh. I understand. That much is easy to arrange.”

“Thank you very much.”

With a light smile, Whitney bowed slightly, having easily secured the director’s approval.

“You three! Don’t just stand there—move it!”

“.......”

“Good grief, what slow kids.”

By then, the department head was already dragging the three students into the stadium with a stern glare.

“How’s that for competence?”

Watching proudly, Whitney turned to Meredia and asked with a bright grin.

“...Explain why I can feel black mana coming from you.”

But instead of answering, Meredia coldly demanded an explanation, her expression like frost.

“Uh, well... I’m not sure what you mean...”

“I said explain.”

“...I mean, that is...”

Caught in her silent, piercing glare, Whitney stammered for a moment, then finally tried to speak—

“Well, the truth is... kuh.”

—only to clutch his chest mid-sentence and choke back his words.

“What’s wrong?”

“Mm...”

“Do you... have some reason you can’t speak?”

Meredia’s sharp instincts picked up on the obvious abnormality, and she faltered mid-question.

“...You. Come with me.”

“Huh...? Uh...”

Suddenly grabbing his arm and pulling him away, Meredia didn’t wait for a response. Whitney, bewildered, had no choice but to let himself be dragged along.

“...Would you look at that.”

“...?”

And from behind, Adel watched the scene unfold with half-lidded eyes, just as she and a visibly tense Cecil were about to enter the stadium.

***

“Haha, Lady Meredia... what’s gotten into you all of a sudden?”

Unable to resist her overwhelming strength, I was dragged all the way behind the arena. Only when we reached a secluded corner did she finally stop, and I carefully tried to gauge her mood.

“Please calm down—ack!”

“Stay still.”

“...Y-Yes, ma’am.”

But when she shoved me against a pillar behind me and slammed one hand against the wall in a kabedon pose, her pressure was so intense I had no choice but to shut my mouth.

“L-Lady Meredia...?”

“I said stay still.”

But then—when she suddenly pulled open my coat and started unbuttoning my shirt—I genuinely wondered if I should scream.

“I-I think... it’s a bit early for this kind of thing...”

“.......”

“...Or maybe not?”

I meekly protested, but when she paused and looked up, the expression on her face was so terrifying I clammed up immediately.

Slide...

Her slender fingers brushed against the skin of my chest, exposed beneath the half-unbuttoned shirt.

“.......”

And then came a short silence.

“C-Can you please finish quickly before someone sees...”

As I nervously glanced around, trying to speak up, Meredia finally withdrew her hand and asked in a low voice:

“Are you sure nothing happened?”

“O-Of course?”

“Really?”

“Whatever it is... didn’t you just check yourself?”

Despite my answer, she asked again suspiciously, then let out a sigh and murmured:

“...I guess it really was just my imagination. Sorry.”

“.......”

“It’s just... I sensed a presence similar to the curse lingering on my right hand coming from you.”

It was rare for Meredia to apologize, so I found it surprising—but with those words, I finally understood the reason behind her overreaction.

“I’m under a binding curse I can’t talk about freely.”

As she said this, she raised her right hand—and sure enough, it was trembling slightly.

“Well, either way, I’m glad I was wrong. For a moment, I thought you’d been betrayed by # Nоvеlight # some black mage you’d brought over to your side.”

“As if! Haha...”

From experience, I knew her right hand always trembled whenever she felt vulnerable. Not wanting to let the mood get any more awkward, I gave her my usual smile.

“I’ll have you know, I’m a white mage, thank you very much. There’s no way I’d ever be...”

Slide...

Mid-sentence, her hand suddenly touched my chest again—and I instinctively fell silent.

“I can button it myself—”

“...It was my mistake. Stay still.”

Was I hallucinating?

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

As she fixed my shirt, her eyes still pointed downward... her face looked ever so slightly flushed.

“Honestly. Don’t make me deal with this kind of nonsense again.”

Thanks to that, I rubbed my eyes and looked again—only to see Meredia back to wearing her usual icy expression as she threw an annoyed comment my way.

“Don’t make me worry.”

“...Shut up.”

I tried to prod her a little, hoping she might be feeling slightly embarrassed, but her cold rebuke immediately shut me down.

“Anyway, there’ve been a lot of bugs buzzing around me lately.”

“Bugs?”

Still looking glum, I let her adjust my clothes. She tugged especially tight on my necktie as she muttered, glancing over her shoulder.

Crackle...

Then suddenly, her jeweled eyes briefly glinted a faint red—

“Kyaa!”

A shrill scream burst from the nearby pillar. A silhouette—presumably Lady Adel—ducked her head in a panic and bolted off toward the arena.

“You know, right? If any weird scandal starts spreading, I’m canceling our contract on the spot. I’ll never tolerate anything that damages my reputation.”

“...Yes, ma’am, but I swear I didn’t do anything.”

“Hmph.”

I tried to explain myself as I watched the scene unfold, but the suspicion in Meredia’s eyes remained firmly in place.

“So? How’s the plan going?”

“...I got permission, so now I just need to make contact with the Saintess and bring her into the tournament.”

Grateful for the change in topic, I quickly answered, worried about how I was going to lift her mood.

“You better not expect me to help like last time. That was just... ridiculous.”

“Haha, I’ll be sure to keep that in mind.”

Meredia stared at me for a moment with an unamused expression, then abruptly turned on her heel and started walking toward the arena.

“Try not to screw it up like a damn fool.”

I couldn’t tell if that was an insult or encouragement, but since it was Meredia, I decided to take it as a compliment.

“...Alright, time to go.”

I had to do my part and awaken Hestia into the true Saintess.

Pfft. Your fiancée is adorably possessive.

Especially since, after yesterday’s life-or-death encounter—

Still, I didn’t expect you’d be able to detect me. What a surprise.

—this damn woman had done something to me when I refused to become her double, and now wouldn’t stop talking in my head. But maybe, just maybe, I was starting to figure out how to deal with her.

***

Not long after, in the spectator waiting room near the academy’s main building—

“Haaah... I really thought I was going to die.”

Panting heavily and trying to avoid being seen, Saintess Hestia collapsed into a chair with her legs giving out, looking utterly miserable.

“...I’d say it was tougher for me, sneaking you away from among the Holy Nation’s delegation.”

“But still...”

“Look, we both had it rough. Just do me a favor this time and don’t move while I’m doing your disguise. Please, Lady Saintess.”

Bergen, who had gotten her inside despite the tight security from the academy’s holy knights, scolded her with visible exhaustion. She immediately fell silent.

“By the way, Lunelle, was it? What happened to her?”

“W-We got separated. She said she’d rejoin as Lord Whitney’s attendant...”

“Ah, right, I remember.”

Still looking dazed, Bergen scratched his head and stood up.

“Well then, time to prep for another round of disguise.”

“Eep...”

“You’re making that face like I’m some kind of villain—well, I guess I am. Anyway, don’t be so bitter about it. I’m doing all this for you.”

“...Okay.”

And so, it looked like the Phantom Thief Bergen’s disguise act was about to begin once again in the waiting room—

Knock knock knock...

Suddenly, a knock echoed from the other side of the door. Hestia flinched, and Bergen—midway through pulling disguise gear out of his bag—froze as well.

“It’s me, everyone.”

“...Good grief.”

Relaxing the grip on his hidden knife, Bergen sighed in relief when Whitney’s voice came from behind the door.

Follow curr𝒆nt nov𝒆ls on fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com.

“Oh right, he was supposed to meet us here. Ugh, my head’s a mess...”

“...No, wait.”

“Hmm?”

But Hestia’s reaction was strange. She remained frozen, staring at the door.

“T-That’s not Lord Whitney behind the door...”

“...What did you say?”

Bergen, startled by her trembling voice, instinctively reached for his knife again and gave her a puzzled look.

“Wait. Then who just spoke...”

“The one who’s... tormented me all this time...”

Before she could finish—

Creeeeak...

The door opened.

“Why’s everyone so tense?”

And standing in the doorway—looking completely normal—was Whitney himself.

“What the hell, it’s the boss after all.”

Bergen furrowed his brow and gave Hestia a skeptical glance, but her eyes remained locked on Whitney.

Been a while, hasn’t it?

No—she was staring at the black figure only she could see, the one hovering beside Whitney.

“...Y-You.”

“......?”

“Are you here... to torment me again...?”

Terror-stricken, Hestia stepped back and hid behind Bergen, her voice trembling.

“Hestia?”

“What’s with her all of a sudden?”

Whitney and Bergen both looked at her in confusion, not understanding the situation at all.

No no, I’m the one who’s trapped!

Only Hestia could hear the black shape’s voice—one that spoke with a bizarrely chipper tone.

I tried to possess her the same way I did with you, but she ended up absorbing me instead! Hah!

Despite the cheerful delivery, the aura it gave off was enough to freeze the blood—and Hestia wasn’t buying it.

“Hestia. Do you... see something next to me?”

“...Hic.”

“If so, I’d really like you to tell me.”

Yeah, go ahead. Tell him!

That suggestion—paired with Whitney’s eerie smile—felt too much like a trap.

Which is why, in the end, Hestia said nothing.

‘They’re both terrifying...!’

No matter how she looked at it, Whitney and that black presence were both absolutely terrifying to her eyes.